Nurses

Baroness Cox asked Her Majesty's Government:

How, given that the rights and responsibilities of the Chief Nursing Officer and those of nurses at regional level have been restricted, they will ensure effective leadership of nurses and nursing in the provision of healthcare.[HL2500]

Baroness Andrews: The Chief Nursing Officer and her team will continue to exercise strong policy and professional leadership through well established networks with nurse leaders in Strategic Health Authorities, National Health Service Trusts, Primary Care Trusts, professional associations and organisations, and in independent and voluntary sector healthcare providers.

In the new departmental structure the Chief Nursing Officer will remain accountable to the Chief Executive, have a place on the two main boardsthe Department of Health Management Board and the Health and Social Care Delivery Boardand play a key role as Director of Patient Experience.

Baroness Cox asked Her Majesty's Government:

How they will ensure that an executive nurse is on every foundation trust board.[HL2499]

Baroness Andrews: Subject to parliamentary approval, the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill will provide for applicants for National Health Service Foundation Trust status to determine the detail of their constitutional arrangements within the parameters set out in Schedule 1. It will be for each applicant to decide whether to include an executive nurse on the board of directors taking account of its local circumstances and

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any responses to consultation on the proposals set out in its application.

Cancer Plan

Baroness Hayman asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they expect the results of the special tracking exercise undertaken in respect of strategic health authorities use of funds allocated under the Cancer Plan to be made publicly available.[HL2506]

Baroness Andrews: We intend to publish headline national and cancer network level figures on cancer investment on the Department of Health's website in late spring.
lynne

NHS Trusts: Finances

Baroness Noakes asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will name the five National Health Service trusts that exceeded their external financing limits by more than £10,000, as referred to in paragraph 4.23 of the Comptroller and Auditor General's report on the National Health Service summarised accounts 200102 (HC 493).[HL2445]

Baroness Andrews: The five National Health Service trusts that exceeded their external finance limit by more than the £10,000 de minimis limit are:

Bedfordshire & Luton Community NHS Trust

Gloucestershire Ambulance NHS Trust

North Essex Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust

Worthing Priority Care Services NHS Trust

Baroness Noakes asked Her Majesty's Government:

Which 28 National Health Service trusts significantly underachieved their financial management targets for the purposes of the star ratings as referred to in paragraph 4.29 of the Comptroller and Auditor General's report of the National Heath Service summarised accounts 200102 (HC493).[HL2462]

NHS: Congestion Charge

Baroness Noakes asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their estimate of the cost of resources in primary care trusts, National Health Service trusts and other bodies which will be involved in processing claims for congestion charge refunds.[HL2464]

Baroness Andrews: The Department of Health does not hold this information.

Baroness Noakes asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many National Health Service staff and general practitioners are able to reclaim the London congestion charge; and what procedures they must follow to obtain payment.[HL2463]

Baroness Andrews: Under the NHS congestion charging reimbursement scheme, any NHS employee and general practitioner who meets the eligibility criteria of the scheme is able to reclaim the London congestion charge.

Special Educational Needs

Lord Pearson of Rannoch asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the proportions of parents using the special educational needs tribunals who want for

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their children (a) mainstream school places and (b) places in special schools.[HL2454]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): During the school year 200102 the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal registered a total of 3,048 appeals, of which 1,107 concerned the school to be named in the child's statement. Parents requested mainstream schools in 467 of these appeals and special schools in 570. In the remaining 70 appeals parents either requested home tuition or did not specify the school or type of school that should be named in the statement.
bjc

Shipbuilding

Lord Dixon asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they will respond to the proposals submitted by the Shipbuilders and Shiprepairers Association, Society of Maritime Industries and the British Marine Federation for follow-on funding to the current "Link" project, which is wholly committed and expires at the end of 2003; and[HL2405]

What new schemes they have to assist the British shipbuilding and ship repairing industry.[HL2406]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville): A proposal was submitted to my department in January 2003 by the Shipbuilders and Shiprepairers Association (SSA), acting in conjunction with the Society of Maritime Industries (SMI) and the British Marine Federation (BMF), for a further grant towards their Marine Industry Improvement Partnership. This application was very much at a conceptual level and contained no details of the number of companies to be assisted, nor the amount of grant being sought (although another related submission to the steering group of the Shipbuilding and Marine Industries Forum indicated that grants in excess of £5 million were likely to be requested).

This proposal has subsequently been discussed at meetings of the steering group of the Shipbuilding and Marine Industries Forum, most recently on 18 March 2003, as well as at a meeting held on 31 March of the SSA's steering group, which is managing the current £2.8 million grant.

The SSA, SMI and BMF attend the Shipbuilding and Marine Industries Forum and officials of my Marine Unit attend both the Shipbuilding and Marine Industries Forum and the SSA's steering group.

My officials have pointed out to the SSA that, before consideration could be given to further grants, the SSA would have to provide my officials with a full economic evaluation of the outcomes of the existing grant compared with the targets which were offered by the SSA in their first grant application. This evaluation has yet to start. More generally, the emphasis for DTI's entire business support programme for industry has been evolving over recent months in response to

28 Apr 2003 : Column WA85

feedback from key stakeholders. I lead the Innovation Review, which will set out a strategy and action plan to improve innovation performance in the UK. In parallel with this, the implementation of the review of DTI business support is leading to a small number of new products clearly targeted at enhancing UK competitiveness. As a result, a smaller number of new business support products are being developed which will be broad, flexible and targeted at the needs of the customer, while aimed at driving up productivity through strategic investments in four key areas of activity: innovation, enterprise and best practice, investment and skills.

Within this approach to business support, DTI will continue to make investments in areas where evidence shows a real difference can be made to UK productivity and competitiveness, and where the market has failed to provide solutions to business needs. Proposals will be considered accordingly and those submitted by the Shipbuilders and Shiprepairers Association, Society of Maritime Industries and the British Marine Federation will be part of this process.

Meanwhile the first new business support products are starting to be rolled-out and more will follow in the course of the year.

My officials will continue to keep in close touch with the Shipbuilders and Shiprepairers Association, Society of Marine Industries and the British Marine Federation on this and other topics.